A pair of young taekwondo athletes in Winnipeg are taking the sport by storm, tallying wins and growing as people in the process. Aurora, 12, and Ronin, eight, each train out of the Saunders Taekwondo Academy. This year, they’ve each basked in taekwondo success, winning the top prize at the Victory Cup during the Ultimate Taekwondo Super Series. Adelle Lunsansky, a master instructor at the academy, said they both made it their goal to get a win at the tournament. “Last year they came close and so they’re like, ‘Nope, this year I’m getting it,’” said Lunsansky. “I was really happy and very proud of myself that I kept going and didn’t quit,” said Aurora. Each kid has been at the sport for a few years now and their abilities have continued to grow. They’ve secured multiple medals and have been climbing the ranks. “They’re super outstanding,” said Lusansky. “When Aurora started, she was eight, very shy, very timid, lots of anxiety. But now she’s come out of her shell. Now she’s the tiger, she’s been doing really well. “Ronin too. He’s eight years old, and he’s already been in 17 to 20 tournaments. So he’s collected quite a variety of medals.” Despite the success so far in 2026, they haven’t let the summer months slow them down as they’ve continued to practice and hone their skills rather than take time off. While it might be hard work, the pair do it for the love of the sport. “Making lots of friends here, training lot, winning medals, being strong and helping others,” said Ronin. “When I first started tournaments, I was really nervous and when I started sparring, I wasn’t the best and I got hurt sometimes. But now, I’ve gotten better. I still cry a little bit, but not as much as when I started and I’m not as nervous to go in anymore,” said Aurora. Lusansky said that she loves seeing the success these two have, as it shows their hard work is paying off, but she always tries to remind them to have as much fun as possible. “This is the age where they’re going to be doing so many different things and involved in so many different things in school that we want them to try everything. We want them to keep taekwondo in their life, and if it’s not, that’s their choice. It’s no pressure,” she said. As they continue in taekwondo, Lunsansky is also hopeful they grow into people who leave a lasting impact on others and their community. “Everyone thinks, ‘Oh, it’s just kicking and punching and beating people up,’ when it’s about a life skill. Self defence, keeping yourself safe, and building character,” she said. “That’s what we want in our students, we want them to go into the world and have a positive impact on people around them and whatever they choose to do in their life.” Meanwhile, Aurora and Ronin have aspirations of potentially taking taekwondo to the world stage, representing Canada at the Olympics. “Maybe, yes,” said Ronin. “I do think that I could get there one day, but you just have to train lots,” said Aurora.
